I want to make a christmas fruit cake this year when will i need to start?

Answer 1

now is the perfect time as it needs to mature........injecting it with sherry with a syringe every so often until Christmas makes it a wonderful moist cake :-)

Answer 2

Christmas Cake RecipeIntroductionThis is the Christmas cake recipe that my mother uses. I like the result. It is possible that some of the terms may confuse Americans, so let me know if any translation is needed. At various points, you might want to use a knife to trim bits off the cake to keep it a nice shape.

Cake mixtureThe cake itself should be made a few months in advance. Store it in an airtight container in a cool place.

Ingredients6 oz flour
5 oz butter
Juice and rind of half a lemon
½ lb sultanas
3 oz mixed peel
2 oz flaked almonds
3 eggs
5 oz castor sugar
1 teaspoonful mixed spice
4 oz raisins
3 oz glacé cherries
1½ tablespoons milk
½ tablespoon black treacle
1 tablespoon rum or brandy
RecipeClean the fruit, peel, sultanas and raisins.
Chop the cherries and almonds.
Mix all the fruit together, rubbing it with a little flour to stop it sticking. Shake off the surplus flour.
Warm the butter to soften it, then cream it with the sugar until it is light.
Break the eggs and beat them lightly.
Whisk and beat the warm butter paste as you slowly add the eggs, until it is fluffy.
In order, gently mix in the
mixed spice,
flour, using a sieve,
fruit and rind,
lemon juice and milk,
treacle and liquor,
so that the mixture is of a stiff dropping consistency.
Add the mixture to a 8" tin lined with greaseproof paper.
Bake the cake for 2 hours at 350°F.
Cover the top of the cake with a piece of greaseproof paper.
Bake the cake for 2 to 2½ hours at 300°F.
Marzipan pasteCover the top of the cake with this marzipan paste when you bring it out of storage. The paste may need a few days to harden.

Ingredients8 oz ground almonds
10 oz icing sugar
A few drops lemon juice
1 egg white
A little apricot jam
RecipeApply the jam in a thin layer to the top of the cake to help the marzipan stick.
Knead the remaining ingredients into a paste.
Spread the paste over the jam.
Run a rolling pin lightly over the top of the cake to make it level for the icing.
If you have difficulty spreading the paste onto the cake and flattening the top, you can instead roll it like pastry on a board first, using castor sugar in place of flour.

IcingAfter applying the marzipan paste to the cake, use a palette knife to spread this icing onto it, keeping some back to use for decoration. The icing may need a few days to harden.

Ingredients2 egg whites
1 lb icing sugar
1 teaspoonful lemon juice
2 drops blue food colouring (optional)
RecipeBreak the eggs carefully and put the whites into a basin.
Whisk the egg whites well.
Add the sifted sugar slowly to the egg whites, stirring all the while.
Use a spoon to make the mixture smooth.
Stir in the lemon juice and optional food colouring.
Apply to the cake.

Answer 3

if you are going to make a rich fruit cale , make it about october, if it's a light cake do it about 3 week's before christmas, when the cake is made wrap it in two layers of greaseproof paper, and put in to an airtight tin , for the rich cake , every so often open it up and prod it with a fork and spoon some whiskey on to the cake and allow it to soak in, wrap it up again and so on , they are well worth making and when christmas is over it will be lovely then ,if there is any left , it wont cost a fraction of what they are in the shop's . happy baking

Answer 4

The traditional date for making your Christmas pudding is supposed to be the Sunday before Advent. Advent starts on the Sunday nearest 30th November, St Andrew's Day. Therefore Advent starts on 3rd December this year and I would recommend you make both your Christmas Pudding and Cake on Sunday 26th November. The day is known as 'stir up Sunday' and gets its name from a prayer which starts "Stir up,we beseech thee Oh Lord..".
I recommend you do both on that day as they have many ingredients in common, so it saves you getting everything out twice. In my house everyone has a stir of the pudding mixture and makes a wish.
As well as being traditional it is close enough to Christmas to start getting in the mood. I feel that it's too early at the moment, and keep hanging on to the vain hope that summer might make a brief return!

Answer 5

I normally make mine in September then keep it wrapped in foil and put it into an airtight container. In November I start to put a little brandy every fortnight into the bottom of the cake and I do this up until about a week before I marzipan it. This makes the cake keep much better!

Answer 6

My understanding is that there are only 13 fruit cakes in this world and they are just passed back and forth between relatives and friends. So, if you were fortunate enough to receive one last year, you can start packaging it, for re-gifting, right after voting this the Best Answer.

Answer 7

Your can make a christmas fruit cake anytime of the year and store it in the freezer, back in britain we do this alot

Answer 8

September is the recomended time. After cooling, cool thouroughly. If planning to add sherry etc. pierce in several places with a skewer, and pour on the alcohol. Wheter adding or not, then wrap cake tightly in two layers of greaseproof paper. finish off with one good wrapping of foil, and place in a tin.MiD - End of november cover with marzipan, and return to tin. Early - mid December ice, and decorate.

Answer 9

You could bake it on the 23rd of November so you'll still have some left for X'mas Eve. Although if you try this recipe you only need to start on the 23rd of December...

DARK CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE

1 c. currants
3 c. light or dark raisins
1/2 c. dried preserved orange- peel
1/2 c. diced preserved lemon- peel
1 1/2 diced preserved citron
1 c. halved candied cherries
1 c. diced preserved pineapple
1 c. pecan halves
1 c. blanched almonds, cut- lengthwise
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. soft shortening
6 eggs, separated
1/2 square unsweetened- chocolate, melted
1/4 c. fresh, frozen or canned- lemon juice
1/4 c. orange juice
2 c. sifted all purpose flour

Thoroughly grease 3" to 4" deep 10" tube pan. Cut heavy waxed paper to fit bottom and sides of pan. Line pan with waxed paper (be sure paper fits snugly) and lightly grease paper. Or use aluminum foil without greasing. In large bowl, thoroughly mix currants, raisins, peels, citron, cherries, pineapple and nuts with 1 cup flour until all are coated with flour.

Start heating oven to 300 degrees. Sift remaining 1 cup flour with spices and soda. In large electric mixer bowl, with mixer at medium speed, or cream blend shortening with sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add melted chocolate. At low speed or blend, beat in alternately, just until smooth, flour mixture and fruit juices. When mixture is thoroughly blended, stir by hand into fruit mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into cake mixture. Turn into tube pan.

Bake 2 hours and 20 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan; remove paper; store to mellow.

Answer 10

late October Early November

Answer 11

If you're talking about the caribbean fruit cake then last christmas. Your fruits should have been soaking by now.